Ingredients
1 tsp. vegetable oil
5 large shallots
1/2 c. white wine
1 tbsp. Champagne vinegar
1/2 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. unsalted butter
1/2 medium lemon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
3/4 lb. medium shrimp
2 tbsp. olive or vegetable oil
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
12 slice country or sourdough bread
1/2 c. mayonnaise
2 c. baby lettuce leaves
1/2 lb. Roma tomatoes
12 slice bacon
Preparation
Step 1Make the shallot cream sauce: Heat the oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add the shallots and cook, stirring continuously to prevent browning, until they begin to release their juices, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and vinegar, raise the heat to high, stir and scrape with a wooden spoon to dissolve any pan deposits, and boil briefly until the liquid reduces slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the cream and continue boiling until the liquid has reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and, little by little, whisk in the butter to form a thick sauce. Pour the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean pan. Season with lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Cover the pan and keep warm if making the sandwiches right away.Step 2Cook the shrimp. Preheat a panini maker or double-sided electric grill. Or heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Toss the cleaned shrimp with the oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook the shrimp in the panini maker or double-sided grill just until they are cooked through and pink, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, taking care not to overcook them. Or cook in the grill pan for 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Remove from the heat and allow to cool until you can handle them, then cut each shrimp in half lengthwise and set aside. Turn off the grill and allow to cool slightly, then wipe the cooking surfaces clean with paper towels (taking care not to burn your fingers). Turn the grill back on.Step 3Toast all of the slices of bread before assembling the sandwiches. To assemble the sandwiches, spread a little mayonnaise on all of the bread slices, and arrange a layer of lettuce leaves on 4 of them for double-decker sandwiches, 6 for regular sandwiches. Top the lettuce with a layer of tomato slices and season them lightly with salt and pepper. Arrange 2 bacon slices on top of the tomatoes on each sandwich (3 if you’re making the double-decker clubs). Add a second slice of bread for double-decker clubs and top it with a thin spread of mayonnaise and a little lettuce.Step 4Heat the shallot cream sauce over medium-low heat. Add the shrimp and stir them in the sauce until warmed through, 3 to 5 minutes. Distribute the shrimp and sauce evenly among the 4 or 6 sandwiches and top them with the remaining lettuce and bread slices.Step 5Place the sandwiches in the panini maker or double-sided grill, close the machine, and cook until the outer bread slices turn golden brown, about 3 minutes. Cut each sandwich diagonally in half and serve.
Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck, Wolfgang Puck Makes It Easy, Rutledge Hill Press, 2004.
